A Teller Christmas
by jjflap2
Summary: Tara has night shift on Christmas Eve


Jax was feeling relaxed after a few beers, on the sofa. It was almost nine pm.  
Tommy , sprawled on one of the side chairs , ear buds blasting, was busy texting Zenith, his current girlfriend. Still wearing a Santa hat, probably from some holiday function at his school, he seemed completely oblivious to anything else.  
His youngest child, Emily, was already in bed. Jax would have let her stay up later, but being tired and anticipating Christmas added to the usual irritability between her and Thomas.  
Looking up, he noticed the shimmering reflections of light on the ceiling from the tinsel, with dim shadows of the tree branches behind it, reminding him of the magic he felt when he was little and JT was alive.  
The tv was muted..."Its a Wonderful Life " was on, probably non stop...  
Because it had been a particularly hectic day with Tara pulling a double at the hospital, he quickly fell asleep.  
Sounds from the kitchen woke him, moments later, he thought. His phone read 3:32 am.  
"Whats he doing out here ?" Abel grumbled. He was balancing a plate of leftovers from dinner, a soda and his phone. Tommy was sound asleep next to his Dad.  
"Hey..." Jax moved slightly, not wanting to wake him.  
"...go sit over there." he pointed to the side chair. Abel made his way through the gifts scattered under the tree.  
"You been at Skeeters party ?" His Dad questioned, wondering why he didnt smell alcohol. Or pot...  
"No..." was the response, between bites of cold chicken.  
Abel was tired, and not up to being interrogated. "I was over Megan's, I told you n mom before school."  
"Oh...ok..." He'd forgotten that . Megan was now a constant in his sons life. The first thing he noticed was Abel returning home sober more often. Although he still enjoyed sneaking out with Skeeter, and getting high occasionally.  
"Hows her mom ?" Megans mom was a recent widow.  
"Ok " Abel managed with a full mouth. He was checking out the gifts, a large one in particular. "Wow...can I open this one ?"  
His Dad looked at the stockings stretched full over the fireplace, and the other presents. "I guess one wont hurt. Don't forget , your mom planned dinner for about 3 this afternoon. Tell Megan too."  
"I'm gonna have dinner over there. Her mom asked me last night." Abel dragged his gift from under the tree.  
"You said you'd be here when we asked you yesterday"  
"So I'll eat here an go eat over there..."  
Jax let it go. Things were a bit more serious between them than he realized. He liked Megan, a step up from the usual "ratchits" he seemed to end up with.  
"You wanna ask her over here later ? Your mom got her a few things."  
"Yea, sure..." he paused. "She's been helping me with school...well, in English Lit, and my Biology shit."  
Jax scowled. "You own your work, Abel. Your girlfriend isn't responsible for takin care of that.!" He remembered his string of females in highschool. It worked for awhile, until he and Tara hooked up. The flash point between him and his dyslexic son was pushing him to learn through it, and not use it as an excuse.  
"Dad, get off my case...its not that. Sometimes I can't even process what I see, so I ask her to read it to me. Mrs Brewer said that being handicapped one way will sometimes strengthen my brain in other ways. Something about audio retention or some shit. I'm not a dick head! Wat the fuk ?"  
Jax couldn't answer, wondering how committed the two were to each other. Thinking his wife would have some observations to share, he watched Abel quietly tear the wrapping paper off.  
"Wow..thanks Dad !" It was a bright orange and blue canvas tote, with the logo WINSTON TREE SERVICE.  
"This a whole kit ?" He pulled out a blue safety helmet with the name SPIDER on it. Rope, of various colours and size followed, a climber harness, and other ascending equipment followed.  
"Opie and I want you to get hooked up with that arborist course at the community college next year. He'll register you through the company. "  
"Hell, Dad, I dont need a license to climb trees. Its all games to me." Abel proudly accepted the nickname of Spider from the crew. He put the helmet on, adjusting it. The protection visor was something new.  
"You have to be certified to be covered with insurance and OSHA. Can't get around that. "  
"Yea, whatever. "  
"What are you gonna do about your car ?" Jax was worried about the junker recently purchased without his knowledge. ...or permission. Teller n Sons had recently towed the heap to the shop. Even when it ran, did Megan actually feel safe in it ?  
Abel sensed a criticism. "Its a wheel bearing, and the clutch went out. No big deal, I was gonna work on it during vacation. Why ?"  
"I want you in the shop during that week. You can do that on your own time. " Jax refused to make it easy for him.  
"Ok ...I've already torn it down anyway..." his son shrugged back. Sometimes he knew his repair skills surprised the other mechanics, his Dad especially.  
"How serious are you and Megan ?" He wanted to change the subject.  
"We fuk, if thats what you want to know.."  
Trying not to laugh, Jax was also concerned with other matters. "Don't hang yourself with a kid. You being careful? "  
Abel wouldn't even look up. "Yea, yea, I know. We won't, Megan is different. " Then he looked directly at his Dad.  
"I guess we ..we make love..." Abel paused, lost in thought for a moment. "Its alot different than just fuking"  
Jax now realized this relationship was a bit more than he or Tara anticipated. The look on his sons face told him that.  
Tommy stretched his feet against Dad, waking up.  
"What time is it ?" He managed between a yawn.  
"Time for you ta go sleep in your own bed, dumbass!"  
Abel threw a cushion at his brothers face.  
Tommy sat up. "Shut up, douche wad !"  
"Make me, twat waffle !" Abel held up another pillow, threatening.  
"Both you shut the hell up, you'll wake Emily ..."  
Jax held up both hands. It was too late though, as their eight year old sister shuffled from the hallway.  
"Is it time to open presents yet ?" Her soft blond blonde hair went everywhere.  
Jax got up from the sofa, giving the boys an angry expression.  
"Lets get something warm to drink first..." he lifted her up. " Go put some wood in the stove..!" He turned to the boys. " ...and fill lean to !"  
Abel threw the pillow, this time with more force.  
"Fuk face...its snowing so get your panties on.."  
Tommy stood up . "Fuk off douche nozzle"  
"Knock it off and get goin ! Your mom's gonna be here soon !"


End file.
